Homebrew_PCBs

On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 9:00 AM, James bitsyboffin@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

For the design software, I'd recommend DipTrace (be sure to use the latest beta version) over DesignSpark.

Board houses use Gerber files exported from your design software to produce their artwork, so, ideally you want to do that too.  To facilitate that (although not for that reason, just because it was a good way to get the output I wanted) I wrote a script which converts Gerbers into a PDF file that can be used for toner transfer or UV exposure homebrew pcbs.

https://github.com/sleemanj/gerb2etch

On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 10:11 AM, palciatore@... [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

I have lurked here for a while and perhaps made one or two posts. But now is the time for action.

I go back a way and have made PC boards at home before, using high contrast negatives from artwork that I created. But just try to get such a negative today and even if you can, using two of them to make a double sided board is not the easiest thing. So, I must use more modern methods.

 

I am designing a board for a project and will ultimately be ordering between 50 and 350 of them in an initial order. This represents a significant expense for me and I do not want to place such an order until I am real sure that the foil is 100% OK. I can accept minor silk screen errors so that is not as important. So I need to make one or a few prototypes FROM THE VERY ARTWORK printed from the PC design program I choose. I haven't chosen it yet but am leaning toward a system called Design Spark. I haven't played with it yet, but it looks a lot like the software used by Advanced Circuits.

 

I know I can order several boards for about $65 with shipping but if there is a mistake, then I have to do it a second time and heaven forbid, a third. So am looking for a low cost method to do this at home. My time is precious, but I can spend some on this if it lowers the cost. I am looking for suggestions with specifics (like the model number of any equipment suggested) for doing this. I count expendables as project cost and equipment as capital expenses. So the equipment is easier to justify in my eyes. Sorry if I sound like a bean counter, but the equipment can be used on future projects while the expendables are gone with this one.